| Summary: | NOVEMBER 8,1996 9 Studying abroad: A new responsibility Lisa DeLap and Yashama Herrington guest columnists As participants in the World Discovery's Malta program in 1995-1996, we have noticed several of the advertisements about this program and we would like to make a few comments about our experience. First of all, we strongly urge students to travel abroad simply because of the opportunity it provides for learning about another culture. We were able to live among the Maltese people and experience their lifestyle. Each week we took field trips to view cul-tural symbols like the ruins of Roman Catholic tem-ples. Our time in Malta also provided us with an oppor-tunity to learn more about ourselves. There, we were completely independent. The experience greatly increased our feelings of responsibility. We learned that education is sometimes at its best outside of the academic setting. However, there are a few things one should consider before studying in another country. Be realistic about studying abroad, and realize that along with all the positive aspects, there are bound to be some negatives. If they are not dealt with, they could greatly affect your experience. Ask questions about everything. If you are told not to worry, you should probably begin to worry. For example, prior to leaving for Malta, we were told to make purchases there rather than waste valuable luggage pounds on beach towels, notebooks, etc. Upon arriving in Malta, we learned that credit cards were rarely accepted and several of our ATM cards did not work. Some of the items we needed were not available in Malta. Normally, this would not be a problem, but when you are in a new environment, such problems are magnified. They could have been avoided by better preparation by the people in charge. All students going abroad should understand that the flexibility with classes you needed to go to Malta (or wherever you decide to study) will not necessar-ily transfer back to flexibility with the administration at Concordia. Don't assume that the classes you take can or will be used toward your major. This is the most frustrating and perplexing aspect that we fail to understand. If Concordia sets up a program and recruits its students to participate, it seems like simple logic that the other university's standards meet Concordia's. If they don't, then Concordia should not be sending students there. For example, if you take an intercultural communication class at the university of Malta, then you should be able to apply this class toward your communication major without any hassle or meetings with profes-sors. Our point is this: Get all the information you want or need about classes, grade transfers, and the university in general, in WRITING. This will allevi-ate problems in the long run. Do not assume others are doing this for you — most likely, they are not. One of the biggest problems we had is also one of the easiest to fix: Communication. It has been our experience that communication between students, advisers, the registrar, and the World Discovery office is very haphazard. Prior to leaving, we had registered for 4.0 credits. Upon starting classes at the university, it was brought to our attention that in the past, students had come back with 3.5 or less credits from Malta even if they had registered for more. It is our belief that the reg-istrar and the World Discovery office need to be in communication with each other so they tell the stu-dents the same thing (just a side note: Cherie Hatlem, the registrar, was very prompt in responding to all of our questions while abroad and since we've been back). Along the same lines, the advisers and students need to be told the same things about the program. It was not until April (halfway through our experience) that we discovered our adviser on the trip was under the impression that we were getting letter grades while we, the students, thought that we were getting pass/fail grades. It was not until September that we got a final ruling on the grade issue. In the age where communication is made easy, these issues should not be issues. On the whole, Concordia needs to be more involved with the programs it promotes. Problems like seven people sharing an apartment designed for three to four people are preventable if people are on top of their jobs. Is there housing anywhere on Concordia's campus that accommodates seven stu-dents sharing one toilet, one bathtub, and one small fridge? There is not. We expected the same consid-eration as the people living on campus since we did pay the same amount of money. An easy solution to these problems is an evalua-tion of the program. In a school where everything and anything is evaluated, there should be an evalu-ation for the study abroad programs by the partici-pants. Upon request, we did have the opportunity to share our thoughts with the administration. But not every participant has the chance to do this. The Malta program cannot improve if no one is aware that there are some problems. - Nor can the administration be aware of the things that are first rate about the program. Thanks in part to some par-ticipants of Malta '96, some changes are being made. We appreciate our experience abroad and encour-age others to look into their own excursion's abroad — it is an experience of a lifetime. But keep in mind what we have said. Don't be afraid to ask questions and don't assume anything. The yearly trial ^ "A haze on the far horizon \<; The infinite, tender sky, ^•.^'; The ripe, rich tint of the cornfields, And the wild geese sailing high— And all over upland and lowland The charm of the goldenrod— Some of us call it Autumn, And others call it God," —WM Carruth Anyone who lives in this part of the country knows it, and knows enough to expect it* The orange leaves falling from the trees serve as a thousand subtle and not so subtle reminders of a message ushered in by the late August, unveiling of the Dayton's Christmas display. The morning frost on the windshield accentuates what is already known: Winter is coming. Three weeks ago the beauty of the leaves in southern Minnesota made me want to apply for state residency — as if having a driver's license from another state would somehow make me more a part of it. However, snow at home over mid-semester break and scraping frozen rain off my windshield this past week, accompanied by the thought of the high electric bills waiting for me in future months, bring passing thoughts of transferring to places like Arizona State. (I bet Tempe fs nice in February.) The truth is, though, that the charm and beauty of fall followed by the harsh, enduring and sometimes bitter months of winter give a great deal of character to this state. Minnesota \s known to many In this country as a place of eternal cofd and snow, dwelt In only by those Nordics brave enough to do so — a thought, which, after last winter, could only be reaffirmed. After experi-encing an eighty-below-zero windchill, it is no mystery why peo-ple of the past believed natural disasters to be the wrath of the gods. If by some charice they were right, someone must have done something pretty bad to warrant those incessant bitter chills that, to paraphrase Emily Dickinson, were 'zero at the bone/ This important message of autumn has to be made very clear — which is probably why all the trees turn color, instead of just one or two. It is the beacon of an Impending change in lifestyle, telling people to get out the sweaters, put on the snow tires, and since it is Minnesota, cook up a few extra "hotdishes" in case the big blizzard hits. (They aren't called "hotdishes" everywhere.) Fall and winter are important parts of what makes Minnesota Minnesota. The winds and snow bring on a cold and chill the likes of which are never felt in most places {especially not Tempe, according to my brochures). Along with it, however, come natural beauty and, dare I say, charm. These things cannot be found everywhere — probably not even in Tempe. And while it may leave Southerners wonder-ing why anyone would put up with the trials of winter year after year, it isn't hard to see why some people can't imagine living any other way. Staff Columnist letters to the editor from page 8 The discrepancy between business and student interests in Concordia policy is unfair to students I'm writing this letter to express my frus-tration with a particular Concordia policy. As a student here, I am obviously a slave to the ridiculous policies enforced, and this issue is a typical example of the unchange-able bureaucratic policies enforced at this school. Earlier this week I asked Tom Iverson, Director of Security, if I could sim-ply hand out some fliers about a spring break trip to my friends on campus. He responded by saying that passing out fliers would give the idea that Concordia con-dones it. Condone what? The fact that I want to go somewhere else besides the 20 below weather of this god-forsaken tundra! I also asked for permission to hand the fliers out in the dorms and possibly through campus mailing. Iverson responded by telling me that this would be intolerable and I would be subject to punishment. Since my first year here, I have been exposed to many marketing fliers advertising trips, as well as other junk mail. For example, Tuesday was election day. What did I get in my P.O. box? A flier basically telling me to vote for Clinton and the Democratic party, right? I sure hope not! Why then do we got so much junk mail? Does this school condone the fact that I can order the magazine Playboy from P.O. subscription offers? This is an inconsistency. This is not a personal bias against Iverson, but is criticism of the ridiculous policies that I have been forced to endure since my first year. There is no legitimate reason why I should not be able to give fliers to my friends. Eric Broecker, '97 Cobbers: Education alternatives exist The second semester of my first year I made the decision to spend a semester studying in Sweden. I have Scandinavian heritage and was interested in studying the language and culture of my descendants. I spent months preparing for my journey across the Atlantic, and last August I found myself in a little village called Mora in the heart of Sweden. At first I had no idea what I had gotten myself into. I left the United States and the sheltered Fargo-Moorhead area, where I have lived my entire life, with high expectations. My whole abroad experi-ence was a struggle — everything from the language to meeting new friends. It was an emotional roller coaster, but I regret none of it and think that I have become a stronger and more independent individual. I learned so much about myself and matured in more ways than one. In late August of this year I was offered an internship with Democratic Senator Kent Conrad of North Dakota in his Washington office. The opportunity literally fell into my lap and I had no idea what to expect. After approximately two months, my opin-ion about government hasn't really changed. I have learned a lot about com-munication in the workplace and how to tolerate individuals' different quirks and ways of doing things. I have learned to rec-ognize my strengths and weaknesses and have met interesting people in the D.C. area. I have also gotten really good at opening mail, filing, faxing memos, delivering bills to the democratic cloak room, writing to constituents, making copies, fixing copiers and using various computer programs for congressional research. I have seen what it takes to get things done on the Hill. Many people put in long hours and literally eat and sleep politics. It is a strange place and I am convinced that it takes a certain stamina in order to survive. An internship is a wonderful way to find out what is out there and also to give individu-als a taste of a job or career that may be of some interest in the future. I have tried to illustrate that Concordia has great alternative options to the eight semesters of on-campus study. I have got-ten credit for spending time away from Concordia and I am learning things about the world, about others, and about myself that I would have never learned sitting in Ivers or Olin. I urge my fellow students to walk across the street to the Outreach Center and the World Discovery office to do some research on studying abroad or stop by the Cooperative Education office and ask question. It's your education. Try to make the most of it, take the risk, get away for a semester and take advantage of the opportu-nities at hand. Sara Zavoral'98
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